OAC Media Release: Ontario Autism Coalition Will Protest the Lack of Appropriate Supports in Schools for Students with Autism and Other Special Education Needs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2017

Ontario Autism Coalition Will Protest the Lack of Appropriate Supports in Schools for Students with Autism and Other Special Education Needs

The Ontario Autism Coalition (the “OAC”) is holding a press conference and protest at Queen’s Park on Thursday October 26, 2017 from 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, to raise awareness of the crisis in special education in Ontario’s schools. OAC Vice-President, Laura Kirby-McIntosh, will release the results of a survey on the experiences of parents of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder when dealing with the school system in Ontario. Additional speakers at the protest include Opposition Leaders from both the PC’s and NDP, parents and students with autism, teachers, and other disability activists.

Educators need to be better equipped to support the 1 in 6 students who have learning differences in their classroom. “The supports available to students with special needs vary widely from one board to another. The quality of service should never depend on a family’s postal code,” asserts OAC President, Bruce McIntosh. The OAC is calling upon the Ontario government to provide better supports in schools for students with autism and other special education needs. Specific concerns include:

the lack of meaningful Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) in schools

the need for more accountability for special education funding

the urgent need to allow qualified ABA therapists and BCBA’s into classrooms to assist teachers and Education Assistants

the need to increase special education training for all educators and support staff

the need for more Education Assistants in the classroom

the need for a provincial policy permitting qualified autism service dogs in schools